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A woman with long brown hair smiling, sitting in a striped armchair in a room with beige walls. She is wearing a pink short-sleeved shirt, cream-colored pants, black loafers, and a black watch. To her left, there is a small wooden cabinet with woven baskets and a potted plant on top, next to a white clock showing 12:03.

Lauren O’Connor, MA

Licensed Professional Counselor

(she/her)

Helping Young Adults, Adults, Couples, & Parents Navigate Life’s Transitions

Life can bring seasons when you feel overwhelmed, uncertain, disconnected, or simply unsure of what comes next. Whether you’re adjusting to college or life after graduation, navigating a career decision, becoming a parent, experiencing changes in your relationship, or trying to balance the many demands of adulthood, therapy can give you a place to slow down, understand what you’re experiencing, and determine what you need moving forward.

I am a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC), and I work primarily with adults, couples, college and graduate students, young adults, and parents. I have a particular interest in supporting women during pregnancy and the postpartum period, individuals navigating major life transitions, couples experiencing relationship challenges, and young adults working through academic, career, and identity decisions.

My goal is to create a space where you feel comfortable being yourself and talking openly about what is happening in your life. I believe that a strong, trusting relationship is an important foundation for therapy. Together, we will identify your strengths, better understand the patterns that may be keeping you stuck, and develop practical strategies that support meaningful and sustainable change.

Areas I Can Help With

I especially enjoy working with people experiencing:

  • Pregnancy, Perinatal & Postpartum Concerns

  • Marital & Relationship Difficulties

  • Couples Therapy

  • Life Transitions & Major Life Changes

  • College & Graduate School Stress

  • Young Adult Concerns

  • Academic & Career Exploration

  • Parent Coaching & Parenting Stress

  • Anxiety & Social Anxiety

  • Depression & Mood Concerns

  • Stress & Feeling Overwhelmed

  • ADHD & Executive Functioning Challenges

  • Grief & Loss

  • Trauma & PTSD

  • Divorce & Relationship Changes

  • Self-Esteem & Confidence

  • Body Image Concerns

  • Parent-Child Relationships

Pregnancy, Postpartum & Motherhood

Pregnancy, becoming a parent, and adjusting to life after having a baby can bring enormous changes—not only physically, but emotionally, socially, and within your relationships.

I enjoy supporting pregnant and postpartum mothers as they navigate anxiety, mood changes, identity shifts, relationship changes, parenting stress, changing expectations, and the pressure that can come with trying to balance your own needs with caring for someone else.

Therapy can provide a space where you don’t have to pretend that everything is fine or have everything figured out. We can work together to help you feel more supported, confident, and connected to yourself during this major transition.

Couples & Relationship Therapy

Relationships naturally change over time. Stress, communication difficulties, parenting, changing roles, major life transitions, and unmet expectations can leave couples feeling disconnected or stuck in the same patterns.

In couples therapy, I help partners better understand one another, communicate more effectively, navigate conflict, and strengthen their connection. My goal is not to determine who is “right,” but to help both partners understand what is happening within the relationship and develop healthier ways of moving forward together.

College, Graduate School & Young Adulthood

The transition into adulthood can come with a surprising amount of uncertainty. College students, graduate students, and young professionals may find themselves questioning their direction, relationships, identity, abilities, or what they want their future to look like.

I particularly enjoy helping college students, graduate students, and young adults navigate academic stress, independence, relationships, anxiety, executive functioning challenges, career decisions, and the transition from school into professional life.

If you’re wondering, “What am I supposed to do next?” therapy can give you a place to explore that question without needing to have the answer right away.

Academic & Career Exploration

Choosing a major, finishing school, entering the workforce, changing careers, or trying to determine what kind of work will actually feel fulfilling can be stressful.

I can help you explore your interests, strengths, values, goals, and barriers so that academic and career decisions feel more intentional and manageable. We can also address anxiety, perfectionism, motivation, organization, executive functioning, and self-doubt that may be making it harder to move forward.

Parent Coaching

Parenting can be rewarding—and incredibly challenging. Sometimes parents need their own space to talk through concerns, develop strategies, and figure out how to respond differently to difficult situations at home.

Through parent coaching, I work with parents to better understand their child or adolescent’s needs, strengthen communication, establish healthy boundaries, manage challenging behaviors, and build strategies that work for their individual family.

My Approach to Therapy

Therapy should be personalized to you rather than expecting you to fit into one particular approach.

I draw from several evidence-based approaches, including:

  • Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)

  • Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT)

  • Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)

  • Person-Centered Therapy

  • Mindfulness-Based Strategies

  • Executive Functioning Coaching

  • Strength-Based Approaches

We will work collaboratively to determine what strategies make the most sense for your needs, personality, and goals.

I welcome people of all backgrounds and beliefs and strive to provide an inclusive, affirming environment. I am a strong ally of racial justice, body positivity, and single mothers.

Background

I earned my Bachelor of Arts in Psychology with honors from Carthage College and my Master of Arts in Clinical Mental Health Counseling from Roosevelt University.

I have experience providing counseling in private practice and working with people from a variety of backgrounds. I also presented research at the 2022 Midwestern Psychological Association Conference examining student anxiety following reflection on social interactions in academic settings.

I am a professional member of the American Psychological Association (APA) and the American Counseling Association (ACA).

Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC)
Illinois License #178.022749

Ready to Get Started?

Whether you’re navigating pregnancy or postpartum changes, relationship difficulties, college or graduate school, career decisions, parenting challenges, or another major life transition, finding a therapist who makes you feel comfortable, understood, and supported is an important first step.

If you think I may be a good fit for you or your relationship, I would be happy to help you take that next step.

Call Brighter Pathways at (224) 723-5772

Our patient assistant can answer your questions, help determine whether I may be a good fit for your needs, schedule your first appointment, and verify your insurance coverage.